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Original poster

Would this put future buyers off?

67 replies

CbeebiesIsMyLife · 22/09/2013 11:32

We live in a nice 3 bed home with a very small garden, it's not our forever home and plan on moving in 5ish years time.

The house has 3 bedrooms master en suite with a family bathroom. We also have a downstairs toilet. Our hallway is very small with a radiator on the only wall we could put shoe storage in. I'm pregnant with child number 3 and am going to have the pushchair out on a more regular basis again.

The downstairs toilet in right next to the front door. It stinks and I hate it (toddler dd uses toilet and doesn't pull flush/ tell me until I find it) how much would I devalue the house by if I took out he toilet an sink and turned it into a room of shoes, coats and the pushchair?

Honest opinions welcome, we have a few other options and don't want to shoot ourselves in the foot by taking loads and loads off the value.

OP posts:
Madamecastafiore · 22/09/2013 11:34

I'd prefer a downstairs loo in a family home.

Bakingnovice · 22/09/2013 11:36

When I move to our final house next month I'm taking out the downstairs loo and turning into a larder.

We've had a downstairs loo here for 15 years and never used it. Everyone is banned from using it. It's no hardship to run up stairs. I hate the thought of a smelly hallway and having to clean it daily along with the ensure and family bathroom. I hate downstairs loos but I know I'm in the minority.

LIZS · 22/09/2013 11:37

Downstairs cloakroom is an asset in a family sized home.

WowOoo · 22/09/2013 11:37

It was the deciding factor for us between one house and another.

The other had a bit more storage, the toilet won!

deepfriedsage · 22/09/2013 11:41

Toilet would win every time here.

ILikeBirds · 22/09/2013 11:42

I'm sure you could do something that would allow you to use it for storage but to reinstate the toilet and sink if you came to sell.

MrsBungle · 22/09/2013 11:44

I would prefer a downstairs loo in a family house.

eurochick · 22/09/2013 11:46

I'd want a downstairs loo for visitors.

I don't understand (non-flushing toddlers aside) how it would make the hallway smelly. You, um, clean it. And it will mostly be used for quick pees in my experience.

DameDeepRedBetty · 22/09/2013 11:49

No downstairs loo would be a dealbreaker for me, sorry. However, you should be able to get the loo removed but keep the plumbing bit ready to fit a lovely shiny NEW LOO when selling time comes along, and have the added value of a really clean fresh downstairs bog to go with the fresh paint etc you will no doubt have when you dress the house for sale.

lalalonglegs · 22/09/2013 11:50

Why not move the radiator and create storsge on thst wsll keeping the loo? If the loo smells because there is a problem with the drains, call a plumber.

edam · 22/09/2013 11:52

I'd prefer a downstairs loo to a cupboard. Moving the radiator is probably cheaper than removing a loo.

Jacaqueen · 22/09/2013 11:53

You could take out the sanitary ware store them in the garage,cap the waste/water pipe then reinstate before you sell.

TheCrackFox · 22/09/2013 11:55

I wouldn't buy a house without a downstairs loo. My parents and PIL are getting on a bit now and really appreciate not having to go up the stairs too often.

Original poster
CbeebiesIsMyLife · 22/09/2013 11:57

There's no problem with the plumbing, I don't often walk through the hallway and when I do dd has pee'd on the toilet (multi pull times) and left the door open. Or there's a potty full of wee (she's gone and got the potty from the cupboard in the family bathroom) it does my head in and she is remembering more and more to close the door and tell me as I am trying to remember to walk through a few times a day to pull the flush but she's constantly weeing!

OP posts:
Renniehorta · 22/09/2013 11:59

As a buyer my most basic requirement is at least one toilet on every floor. No downstairs toilet and I would not even consider your house. Do what you please in the meantime, but I would restore the toilet before selling it.

Original poster
CbeebiesIsMyLife · 22/09/2013 11:59

There isn't anywhere to move the radiator too, but I can put a sideboard in the dining room to store shoes and bags. I think I'll look into that more than removing the toilet then.

OP posts:
Alwayscheerful · 22/09/2013 12:00

Buyers will choose a house will a dround floor loo rather than a house with a cupboard.

Can you pinch a bit of space from the hall and create a cupboard.

Sort out the plumbing, perhaps the seal on the soil pipe is leaking, start a thread in DIY and pigletjohn will come to your rescue. I would say lots of layers of dirty flooring or the soil pipe connection needs resealing. Give the loo a good steam clean and stary with getting the soil pipe resealed.

jerryfudd · 22/09/2013 12:04

Downstairs loo wins everything for me too - thought of kids running in from garden and straight upstairs with mucky feet because they've left it late to run to loo means it's a must for us. Can you fit a front porch for coats and shoes and folded buggy?

Original poster
CbeebiesIsMyLife · 22/09/2013 12:04

There's honestly nothing wrong with the plumbing. When he flush is pulled regularly it smells fine! The house is only 4 year so old with tiled floor (streamed regularly) so not dirty flooring either. It's literally because she can't reach the flush and doesn't tell me!

OP posts:
onedev · 22/09/2013 12:05

Downstairs toilet would win for me too, although agree with others that if you leave the plumbing, you could reinstate it before selling.

lalalonglegs · 22/09/2013 12:05

Get a small area of electric UFH and remove radiator.

Original poster
CbeebiesIsMyLife · 22/09/2013 12:06

No room for front porch the house is straight on the road (well there is about 3 steps before pavement)

OP posts:
IdaClair · 22/09/2013 12:08

Blimey I've never lived in a house with a downstairs loo. I'm interested in pushchair storage though, DH wants to buy one but I have no idea where we could put it, we haven't a hallway at the moment and the dryer/laundry is in the understairs space - would we need to buy a shed? Do pushchairs keep well in sheds? Is it worth losing a bit of the garden? There are stairs up to the house anyway. I can't even think how it would work.

KnockMeDown · 22/09/2013 12:11

Surely by the time you have gone to the trouble of doing the work to take the loo out, your DD will have grown, and will be able to reach the flush, and be able to tell you she has been, so that is a short term problem?

Also, is there room in there to share the space with a loo and shoe rack, with hooks for coats on the wall?

TallulahBetty · 22/09/2013 12:22

Wouldn't put me off if the house was otherwise good. A downstairs loo is a "nice to have" not essential, IMO.

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